“Sir, it’s liable to fester in these conditions.” She swept her hand around the room. While moments before, he would have put money on her fainting, a look of determination had settled over her.
“Very well.” He leaned against the bars and she dipped the bit of cloth into the water.
When she raised her hand to his face, her fingers trembled. The pulse in the lovely dip of her throat beat a wild rhythm. Her other hand gripped the bar between them so tightly her knuckles had gone white.
“Miss Warstein?”
The cloth hovered inches from his forehead and she met his gaze.
“You don’t have to do this.” He reached for the dripping fabric. “I can clean it myself.”
Her lips pressed together. “Nonsense. You can’t see what you’re doing.” She waved his hand away and brushed his hair aside. “This isgoing to hurt.”
If he were a gentleman, he would close his eyes and let her work in privacy. And he was a gentleman. But he couldn’t pull his eyes from her as she sucked in her bottom lip and gently touched the cloth to the tender skin below the gash.
He swallowed. Even in her disheveled state, Miss Warstein exuded a quiet beauty. Here was a woman worth pursuing. Distinguished. From a respectable family. Not a criminal. Perhaps when... if they got back to Savannah, he could contemplate courting her. He gave a little shake of his head. No. No time for courting.
In a featherlight movement, she washed the edges of the wound. Christian ground his teeth together when she touched raw flesh. His gaze traveled down to where her breasts strained against the pretty blue neckline. She was breathing too fast.
He reached over and touched her still-clenched hand. A little jolt ran up his arm and she jerked her gaze to his.
“Miss Warstein?”
She froze. “Yes?”
In a slow movement, he pried her fingers loose from the bar.
“Take a deep breath.”
After she followed his instruction, he pressed her hand between his. “Again.”
She gulped in a breath and he pressed a thumb to her wrist. Her pulse still raced.
“It’s going to be alright.”
Her brows furrowed. “How can you say that?”
He couldn’t.
He’d watched his ship sink. Watched bodies of his men thrown into the sea. And now, he was locked in a brig. It was hopeless.
Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to admit it.
Not yet.
“I gave your uncle my word that I would—”
Her hand tightened within his. “My uncle sent you?” Disbelief laced her words.
“Who else would he send?”
She stared at him for a long moment. Then she laughed.
Had she lost her mind?
“Miss Warstein, have faith.”
Her shoulders shook and she gave him a sad smile. “Lieutenant, you’re the greatest pirate hunter on the seas and look where that got you. If you couldn’t save me, who else can?”
